Abortion care for adolescents in Mexico: Which are their needs?

Lack of knowledge and failures of contraceptive use are increasing unintended pregnancies in adolescents. In Mexico, pregnancy rate among women from 12 to 19 years is 79 for each 1,000, and 30% and 60% of these pregnancies end up in induced abortions. The National Survey of Health and Nutrition (2006) shows 8.2% of adolescents from 15 to 19 years have received post- abortion care sometime in their lives. The objectives of this research were: (1) to identify the needs of abortion care of adolescents through their own abortion care experiences received in public health services; and (2) to get information of the position of health providers serving adolescents.

We interviewed adolescents (15 to 19 years) after a miscarriage or post abortion service who received care in public hospitals in the State of Mexico, Hidalgo and Mexico City from April to June 2007. We used ATLAS/ti, version 5.0 for codification.

Few adolescents received comprehensive information of abortion procedures, the way they are performed and the procedure applied in their specific cases. Adolescents identified negative attitudes of health providers and, in some cases adolescents, referred they were judged and mistreated. Lack of experience of adolescents in health services, as well as not being perceived as having the rights to receive the service, are factors that impeded them to have confidence to express their needs to the health personal.